Communication
You can communicate over a distance using a medium other than your normal voice. Choose a sense type as the medium for your communication (see the list of examples). You may also use a special sense type (neutrinos, gravitons, magical sendings, and so forth) noticeable only to an appropriate form of the detect Enhanced Senses. The following are some types of communication associated with particular sense types. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and the Gamemaster is free to allow other sorts of Communication, as best suits the character and the setting. * Visual: laser or fiber optic link. * Auditory: ultrasonic or infrasonic beam, "ventriloquism". * Olfactory: pheromones or chemical markers. * Tactile: vibratory carrier wave. * Radio: AM, FM, and short-wave radio bands, microwaves. * Mental: telepathic transmission, psychic link, mystical sending. Base range for Communication is Close Range at rank 1. Each additional rank increases range as shown on the Extended Range Table. Communication is instantaneous with any subject within your range. The recipient of your communication must be within range and have a means of receiving your transmission (enhanced sense, or a receiver of some sort; a score of -5 or more in all mental abilities is all that's needed to "receive" Mental Communication). You can receive Communication of the same medium as your own. Receivers can choose to ignore your Communication, if they wish. Communication is language-dependent; you and the subject must share a common language (see Comprehend to communicate across language barriers). Your Communication is point-to-point (sent to a single receiver within your range). Activating your Communication effect is a Free Action. Communicating, however, takes the normal amount of time. You can apply the Rapid FX feat to speed things up, provided your recipient is capable of receiving communication at that speed. Others with an acute sense able to detect your Communication medium can "tap into" your transmissions with a Perception check (DC 15 + your Communication rank). The eavesdropper must be within normal sensory range of you or the receiver. Your Communication can be blocked or "jammed" by sensory effects such as Dazzle or Obscure affecting your transmission medium. Extras * Affects Insubstantial: As a sensory effect, Communication does not need this extra for insubstantial subjects to perceive it. * Area: You can broadcast omni-directionally to every receiver within your maximum Communication range at once. Note this extra is only strictly necessary to communicate with everyone over a great area at once; since using and maintaining Communication are free actions, the GM may allow a communicator to establish and maintain contact with multiple discrete receivers (such as the members of the same team) all in the same round. * Dimensional: Communication with this extra can bridge dimensional barriers, reaching into other dimensions and planes of existence. The Communication effect still has its proximate range, and the GM may rule certain subjects "out of range" of the effect, depending on their relative position in the other dimension. * Progression: Your communication occurs twice as fast as normal speech. Each additional rank of this extra increases communication speed one rank on the Time and Value Progression Table. This is useful for high-speed computer links, "deep sharing" psychic rapports, and so forth. * Selective: If you have the Area extra, you can choose which receiver(s) within range get your Communication, excluding everyone else. This allows you to go from a single receiver (point-to-point) to all potential receivers in range (omni-directional) or anywhere in between. * Subtle: Your Communication cannot be "overheard" (it is encrypted, scrambled, or otherwise protected). If you apply the extra twice, your Communication cannot even be detected (that is, no one can even tell you are transmitting, much less what you're saying). Flaws * Decreased Duration: As a default, Communication requires only a modicum of attention to maintain, making it Sustained Duration. Some Communication effects may require greater focus, making them Concentration Duration. * Distracting: Communication use may be distracting, particularly if it requires a degree of concentration to maintain (see Duration, previously). * Limited: Communication may be limited to only members of a particular group, such as a species, family, members of an organization, and so forth. This is in addition to limitations imposed by medium (that is, requiring subjects to have a means of picking up on the Communication). Particularly limited groups may qualify for a greater flaw (-2 or more) as the GM sees fit. * Sense-Dependent: Communication itself is already sense-dependent (in that the subject(s) must be able to sense your communication medium to pick up your transmissions) and so cannot have this flaw. However, other perception range effects can be Communication-Dependent, meaning you must be in communication with your subject for them to work (using your Communication medium as a "carrier" for the other effect). If your Communication is blocked in any way, the other effect doesn’t work. An example is a mental FX that is Mental Communication Dependent. Associated FX * Comprehend: Since Communication isn't much use if the person on the other end can't understand you, or you can't understand them, Comprehend Languages is a common effect associated with Communication. * ESP: Communication is often Linked with ESP, allowing for "two-way" reception: the user can both send messages and perceive the subject’s replies (assuming the subject does not also have Communication). Communication may also be linked to ESP to allow the user to both perceive a distant area and communicate with those present there. Category:Rulebook Category:Characters Category:FX Category:Sensory FX